Silence
by lostloveloki
Summary: In silence, the lonesome steel soldier walked away, leaving destruction and desolation in his wake, but with each step a little girl's breathing became faster and heavier. He was a demon, a monster, the heart of all nightmares, but to that singular child, he was a savior. The epitome of everything she could ever dream to be.


Grandmama watched Natasha play in the garden from within the parlor, a stern frown etched into her sagging features. The usually immovable wrinkles twitched on her forehead as the girl stalked the neighbor's cat, with her body curled forward to lessen the size of her shadow in the fading green grass. The girl's unruly, fiery hair stood in perfect contrast to the immaculate dress she'd been forced into by the maid (an encounter which left the inexperienced servant with an array of bite and scratch marks along her arms).

"You must send her to more etiquette classes, son," the old woman croaked, balancing her weight on her ivory cane, her sharp green eyes never leaving the child.

Natalia had always been a dark and intensely morbid child, even in these fresh times of darkness, the girl's behavior was far from normal. There was a powerful urge in the little girl's body to feel something small and weak breathe its last breath in her hands. But as she couldn't spend her days killing every stray dog, cat or mouse that crossed her path, she would choose the lesser pleasure of destroying anthill's or throwing soap into little ponds to watch the gradual demise of their innocent inhabitants. So when the day was long, and every aunt, uncle and supposed family friend took their time in pinching her rotund cheeks, the porcelain little lady would return to her dark and dank mind palace, filled with torturous plans for the newest family of tadpoles.

"She is a child, still. Let her enjoy her carefree days. Etiquette and adulthood steal the joys of an unburdened life," Nikolai answered simply, smiling as his daughter pounced and caught the cat with her hands, without getting scratched or soiling her dress. She turned her head and beamed at her father, holding the struggling feline out in his direction. "You are a great huntress, lapochka."

"Can I cook her?" she asked sweetly, dimples playing coyly on her cheeks. "I'll promise to only skin her after cutting her head off."

"Perhaps our neighbours would not appreciate us dining upon their pet…" he cleared his throat. "But if you let her go, I'll ask Katherina to make your favourite roasted rabbit…"

Eyes glittering with mischief she nodded and threw the cat across the white fence into the neighbour's garden. She ran into the house and hugged his leg. "Thank you, Papa!"

"Take your shoes off child! The entire parlour is spoilt because of your impertinence!"

Despite being weighed down by expensive jewelry, the crone raised her cane immediately, ready to swing and mark the pale white flesh. Nikolai pushed Natalia behind him, and caught hold of the cane, fury clear in his gaze.

"You will not touch my daughter, mother," he hissed.

"Teach her manners, or someday her husband will teach her with more than just a light tap of a cane," she spat, spitefully pulling her cane back.

"And if that day comes, I will break his spine and throw him off a cliff," he said acidly. Natasha looked up at her father with interest. She'd never heard him speak like that before... Filled with power and anger. It was as if, he was a different man. Her cat-eyes grew wide and her lips pulled into a feral grin.

"Papa," she whispered with pride, clutching his leg tighter.

That night, after all the maids had gone to bed, and her parents were fast asleep, little Natalia shuffled silently through the halls, clutching her chemise close to her body, so that none would hear the rustling of her garments. With the agility of a young burglar, Natasha hopped through the parlor and slid the glass door open.

In the dead of night, only the moon illuminated the blades of grass and the sparse furnishings. She ducked past the fountain, and through the clearing in the hedge where she found the cat being mounted by her lover. The child didn't understand the meaning of the cat's behavior, but she knew that it was her lucky day: two cats to experiment on.

Natasha inched closer, getting ready to pounce as she saw a strange metallic glint in the distance.

The door of the house across the street stood ajar as two men and a woman stepped out- No. One man calmly pushed the gagged and bound couple out. All but his eyes were obscured by a dull black mask, and yet there was a strange tranquility about him… Natasha crept back closer to the bush, surveying her strange man. His hair was too long and greasy, and the material's he wore didn't appeal to her, but there was something very simple and powerful about him. She didn't know or understand what it was, but something about his languid walk as he pulled the couple to their knees… It made her heart pound with anticipation.

They trembled with desperation, sweat glistening on their foreheads, with their faces turned towards him. He reached into his pocket and dragged out a sleek piece of black equipment. The woman shook her head fervently, her chest rising and falling comically as she tried to reach for his leg, but it was too late. Smoke seeped out of the device, and a bullet lodged itself in her head in utmost silence. Not a leaf was rustled.

Natalia gasped in shock, and he immediately turned to stare at the bushes. Clutching her mouth, she kicked the cats and watched them flee the scene.

When Natasha peeked agained after a little while, she caught sight of the glint of metal once again. Squinting she finally discerned his dull grey metal arm, decorated with a bright red star, growing out of his otherwise pure black attire.

He was crouched down with his arm around the male victim's neck, gripping onto his chin. He tussled the man's hair like a friend or a lover might, but before she could process it, he stood up again and the corpse fell forward.

In silence, the lonesome steel soldier walked away, leaving destruction and desolation in his wake, but with each step a little girl's breathing became faster and heavier. He was a demon, a monster, the heart of all nightmares, but to that singular child, he was a savior. The epitome of everything she could ever dream to be.

Sneaking back into bed, Natalia looked out the window and stared at the stars, painting them red in her mind. One day she would find her red star again… One day…


End file.
